 Hello and welcome to NewsClick. In solidarity with farmers who have been protesting Modi government's draconian farm laws, people from various sections of the society have joined a Bharat Bandh today on December 8th. But what is this Bandh and why was it called? The initial call for a Bandh was given on 4th of December by Sanyukth Kisan Morcha, a body that includes nearly 500 farmer organizations from across the country. They are leading the ongoing farmer's protest which includes blocking of several highways entering Delhi and the protest actions held in several states since the blockade started on 27th of November. The 27th November blockade was a culmination of ongoing farmer's protest that had been taking place since June when the Modi government first introduced these laws as farm ordinances. In September, the government got these passed as laws by ramming through the parliament without a proper discussion or voting. All these months, farmers were protesting against these laws pointing out that they had never been consulted and that these laws would destroy the present system of farming, trade in agricultural produce and even storage and pricing of such produce. Yet the Modi government ignored the protests and went ahead with the laws probably thinking that with pandemic raging in the country no effective protest would materialize. But farmers were so angry with the laws that they decided to march to Delhi on 26th and 27th November to register their protests. The marching farmers, mainly from neighboring states were met with tear gas, water cannons and road blocks in Haryana which they successfully broke and reached the Delhi borders at various points. They have since been camped there and are determined to continue with their protests until these laws are repealed. Shaken by these events the Modi government invited farmers to talk with the ministers for the first time. However, even after three rounds of talks right now and two rounds initially that is in total five rounds it has become clear that the government is unwilling to roll back the laws hence the farmers have called for the Bharat Band to show their country-wide support and make the government realize its folly. In recent days following the protests effigies of PM Modi and corporate big wigs like Ambani and Adhanis have been burned by the protesters in thousands of locations while local road blockades have taken place everywhere. This goes to show the anger that is bubbling among farmers an anger that is not going to be brought down so easily just token talks. The rigidity of the government has become well-known across the country and as has its dirty tricks to sabotage the farmers movement. The Band is being supported by 18 major political parties 10 central trade unions and hundreds of other organizations representing people from all walks of life including employees, officers of banks insurance sectors, university, school teachers students, youth, women, organizations of Dalits and Adivasis veterans of armed forces film industry, workers, informal sector workers contractual workers and even Bar Council of India.